


Shuichi Saihara and the Daughter of Magic

by Magi_Zumurrd



Series: Demigods and Deities [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, F/M, Hajime and Izuru share a body, Hajime and Nagito are in charge of the children, Hope's Peak is Camp Half Blood, Kinda, M/M, Sort Of, most characters are background, the Hope's Peak kids are gods, the Nagito/Hajime is background, the V3 kids are demigods, vaguely follows the PJO storyline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:15:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26218507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magi_Zumurrd/pseuds/Magi_Zumurrd
Summary: Shuichi Saihara never wanted to be a half-blood.If you're reading this because you think you might be, you should stop, right now.  What you don't know can't hurt you after all.Until one day, when it does.After he's attacked by a bear monster, looses his uncle, and is told that he's half god, everything he ever knew is turned on his head.  Now there's a quest he needs to complete, a demigod he needs to stop, and if only Kokichi would just STOP MESSING WITH HIM!IMPORTANT!This work is now on hiatus.  I've decided I don't like how fast I'm breezing through the story and realized that at my current trajectory, I'm getting closer to what's supposed to happen in Sea of Monsters instead of the Lightning Thief.  I will leave this up until I start rewriting it.
Relationships: Harukawa Maki & Saihara Shuichi, Harukawa Maki/Momota Kaito, Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito, Kamukura Izuru/Komaeda Nagito, Momota Kaito & Saihara Shuichi, Oma Kokichi & Saihara Shuichi
Series: Demigods and Deities [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904089
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so this is hopefully going to go better than my other chaptered works.
> 
> Hi. I'm Magi, or Zumurrd, or whatever you want to call me. I'm hopefully not going to abandon this (fingers crossed)
> 
> For now, let me explain how I'm going to use the notes: Whenever a new god or (claimed) half-blood shows up, I'm going to put what they are the god of and/or their parentage/relation to them. Hopefully this will limit any sort of confusion about it. However, I will only do it if the character is named in the chapter. Hope this will clear things up, and I welcome any constructive criticism. Please leave comments, I love them.

A purple-haired teenager hides in a vent above where his guardians are having a meeting with two women. One of them is a plain-looking brunette, with round glasses and a maroon cardigan over a white shirt and a knee-length maroon skirt, while the other wears her mousy brown hair in a bob, and a white shirt with a blue jacket overtop and rolled-up jean shorts.

“So, we were hoping you could help take care of and maybe… rehabilitate them?” the mousy-haired one asks. “She really did a number on their minds, and it just wouldn’t be right to throw them into… well. You know.”

“Of course,” responds one guardian. “We’d be glad to take care of them. You say they’re all half-bloods? Do you know their parents?”

“Yeah, here, I wrote them down.” The woman pulls a piece of paper from her pocket, handing it over. The teen’s guardians look it over, and nod.

The teen decides to see these new kids for himself, curious as to what they might be like. He crawls over to the next room’s vent, seeing five kids, all probably about seven or eight. While four of them look understandably uncomfortable, one of them, a girl with a green bob, simply smiles. It’s kinda weird if he’s honest about it.

The teen shakes his head and decides to leave. He’s going to be keeping an eye on that green-haired girl though.


	2. Chapter 1 - Bear Attack

_You find yourself in a dark, gaping cave. To either side of you are humans, and in front of you is a blurred gradient from pink to a dull, sickly patch of green and purple at the bottom of the whirlwind. One of the people beside you dives forward. There’s a flash of red and –_

Shuichi wakes up with his alarm blaring as usual.

As he goes about his morning routine, he tries to put the nightmare out of his mind. He combs his navy hair, trying and as always, failing to tame that one strand that never seemed to obey his brush. He gets dressed in his school uniform, checks his backpack, and eats breakfast. As he bids his uncle goodbye he completely forgets about the strange dream.

He goes about his day normally, nothing standing out in particular. He still feels those eyes though. The disapproving eyes of the world, watching and judging his every move. He shivers, thinking about what he messed up this time. Did he put a soda can in the trash instead of the recycling? Or maybe…

Out of nowhere he runs into someone and drops his books. Mr. Naegi, his history teacher, helps him up. “Are you alright Shuichi?”

“Y-yeah, sorry about that,” he replies. “I guess I was just lost in thought and wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. But in the future, keep your eyes peeled, ok? You never know what might be around the corner.” Mr. Naegi pats his shoulder before heading off to his classroom.

Shuichi briefly wondered what his teacher had meant by that, but soon puts it aside to head to his next class. 

When he gets home, he’s met by his uncle. “How was your day, Shuichi?” he asks, putting away his newspaper. The teen shrugs, putting down his backpack.

“Pretty average, honestly. Not much to talk about.” His uncle nods.

“Well, as they say, no news is good news, isn’t it?”

That brings a laugh from his nephew. “Yeah, I guess so.”

The elder gets up and pats his shoulder just like his teacher did. “How about you head up to your room? I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

All in all, it’s a completely normal day.

The next morning however, the last day of school, Shuichi wakes up feeling strangely apprehensive. He goes through his usual routine, even splashing some water in his face to bring him back to reality. No good. He looks out his window, a strange sense of finality encroaching into his mind. Before he leaves, he gives his uncle a quick hug. When asked why he can’t explain. That strange feeling still hasn’t gone away.

The first few periods of school go normally, to the point where he starts to wonder if he was making a big deal out of nothing. That is, until lunch. He heads to his usual spot for lunch, beneath a big oak tree. As he approaches, a bear of some kind drops from the branches. It is split down the middle, black on one side and white on the other. But the strangest part is its limbs. There are two long arms on the black side, and only one on the other, and no recognizable legs. The one blue eye looks bloodshot, and the creature reaches out to him, knocking Shuichi onto his back. As it approaches, a voice calls out.

“Shuichi!” calls Mr. Naegi. He throws something to the boy.

Shuichi looks at what Mr. Naegi threw him. It’s a pin.

“Put it on!” his teacher calls. “Shoot to the truth!”

Panicking and unable to do anything else, Shuichi obeys. When he fastens the pin to his collar, an ornate flintlock pistol with black wood from the handle down the barrel appears in his hand. “Shoot!” yells Mr. Naegi. With no other option, the boy points the gun at the monster, closes his eyes, and pulls the trigger. He tenses, waiting for the feeling of razor-sharp claws tearing through his body.

“Shuichi? Shuichi, wake up.”

The boy blinks open his eyes to see Mr. Naegi shaking his shoulder. He’s on his back, staring up at the tree. He shoots up into a sitting position and looks around frantically. “W– that monster where – what?”

“What monster? Shuichi, school’s over. You must have fallen asleep during lunch. It’s time to go home.”

The teenager stands up, holding his head in confusion. “Wha- yeah… yeah, ok. Home. Right.” Gathering his things, he trudges home, not entirely certain what just happened to him. He catches a glimpse of himself in a storefront’s window and stops. The pin is still there. The pin that Mr. Naegi gave him to fight that monster.

But that doesn’t make sense. That was a dream, right? There’s no way that thing was real, but there was the pin, clear as day. He reaches up to the lapel of his jacket and feels the cool metal against his fingers. Looking at it, it looks like an ordinary pin. It’s in the shape of a shield, with what appears to be a three-petaled cherry blossom on it. 

He’s jerked out of his reverie by a buzzing in his pocket. Checking his phone, there’s a text message from his uncle, saying he wanted to take him out for dinner to celebrate the end of the school year, and that it was his choice. He sighs, saying he’s been craving ramen for a few days. He gets a thumbs-up in response and continues down the street, unable to shake the feeling that something is watching him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, since Shuichi doesn't know about it yet, I'm not putting any identifiers in. Sorry. It'll clear up in the next chapter though, I promise.


	3. Chapter 2 - Horror Movie Chase Scene

As Shuichi opens the door, his uncle comes in from the other room.

“Shuichi,” he greets, “how was school?”

“It was ok,” the younger replies, nodding. “I think I probably went to sleep too late last night, I ended up sleeping through the second half of the day. Mr. Naegi didn’t seem mad though, and it was the last day anyway.”

His uncle nods. “Good, but don’t push yourself next year. You don’t have to be the best student in the school you know.”

Shuichi gives a wry smile in return. “Yeah, but what else am I going to do? I don’t exactly have a ton of hobbies.”

The elder Saihara sighs, shaking his head. “You really should go out and make more friends. Maybe join a club or something?” He stops, and furrows his eyebrows. “Is that a new pin? I don’t think you were wearing it this morning.”

Shuichi blinks and looks down. “Oh, yeah, Mr. Naegi gave it to me. You won’t believe why.”

His uncle leads him into the living room and sits down in an armchair while Shuichi takes the couch. “Try me.”

So, he tells his uncle about the monster, about the gun that appeared in his hand, and about waking up with no recollection of falling asleep. As he speaks, his uncle begins to look more and more concerned, and by the time Shuichi finishes his story, he has the same look on his face as when he’s dealing with a particularly nasty case.

“Shuichi,” he says, his voice grim. “Go up to your room and pack a bag. Get enough clothes for at least a week. We’re going on a road trip.”

“Wh- a road trip? What are you talking about? Why-”

“Now, Shuichi,” his uncle says firmly. 

Shuichi, taken aback, nods mutely and does as he is told. Back in the living room, his uncle sighs, looking at a picture in the family shrine. “I guess I couldn’t protect him forever, could I Sayori?”

In his room, Shuichi grabs the essentials – clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste, toiletries, and of course a few books. He has a hypothesis of where they were going, and a reason why, he just doesn’t understand why one strange day would be enough for his uncle to send him to the psych ward. He packs everything into a backpack, and goes back downstairs. “Uncle?” he calls, “I’m ready.”

The elder Saihara emerges from his own room, a bag of his own in his hand. Shuichi blinks, but doesn’t ask questions. Perhaps his uncle plans on staying in a hotel nearby. If that were the case, he’d be glad. They load up the car, and begin the drive.

Pretty soon, there is a contradiction to his theory. His uncle isn’t driving toward the hospital, or even to where a therapist might be. Instead, he takes the road into the woods, driving deep into the forest, late into the night. They are the only ones on that dirt road, but Shuichi still can’t shake the feeling of being watched, and followed. He looks at the rear-view mirror and froze.

“Uncle,” he rasps, “there’s something following us.”

His uncle looks, curses, and speeds up. “Damn it,” he growls, “I’d hoped to avoid them.”

Shuichi can’t help but turn around in his seat and watch as more of the creatures from his dream earlier that day emerge from the forest, charging after the car. “They’re catching up…”

“I know.” His uncle reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He hands it to the preteen. “The code is 3277. There’s a contact called Hope’s Peak. Call them, and say we’re on the road, and being chased by monokumas.”

“mono- Uncle what is going on!?”

“Just do it, Shuichi!”

The eleven-year-old nods, and does as he’s told. The phone picks up, and a bored voice comes from the other side.

“This is Hope’s Peak farms, my name is Jurou Sakurai, how can I help you at… 11:30 at night?”

“I-I’m on the road, my uncle and I are being chased by some sort of crazy monster bears, please, HELP US!”

“Wait, what?” Jurou suddenly sounded far more alert. “Do you know how far away you are? How many are chasing you? What kind of car are you in?”

“U-uhm I don’t know how far away we are, we’re being chased by three-” he checked the mirror “no four monsters, w-we’re in a black hatchback-”

“Got it, we’ll send some people to help.”

“Wha-”

“Don’t worry. You’re almost here.”

“How do you-”

“I do.”

“Ho-” the phone fell from his hand as the car hit a speed bump in the road. Shuichi’s uncle didn’t slow down. One of the monster bears managed to claw through the back window, making Shuichi scream. The whole time, his uncle is repeating “almost there, almost there,” under his breath. 

Not a minute later, Shuichi can see a fountain in the distance. It has an ethereal blue glow, like magic. There’s people on either side of it. He sees his uncle relax a bit, before the car is crashed into and flying through the air. He hits the ground hard, only to look up and see that one of the monsters has his uncle in its mouth.

“NOOO!” he cries out. He feels a weight in his hand and, almost on instinct, shoots the monster. It dissolves into golden dust, as does his uncle.

Shuichi is numb. He neither sees nor hears the two people taking down the rest of the monsters, he just stares at the place where his uncle was not ten seconds ago. He’s pulled up and away from the scene, past the fountain, and passes out.


	4. Chapter 3 - An Explanation

Shuichi blinks his eyes open, a throbbing pain in his head. He sits up, taking in his surroundings. He’s in what appears to be a small hospital wing. There are beds along the wall, each with curtains between them for privacy, and when he looks at his arm he sees that he is hooked up to an IV, and on his other side is what appears to be a heart monitor. He’s not the only one in the room either, there’s a guy over there with a cast on his leg, another with what looks like either a really bad sunburn or some kind of rash, and a few closed curtains. A full-figured girl looks up after she finishes bandaging a boy’s wrist and walks over to his bedside, her black hair tied into a short ponytail at the nape of her neck.

“Hi,” she greets him, a perfect picture of bedside manner. “I’m Kumiko Nakamoto, your nurse. How are you doing?”

He blinks a few times before replying with “My head hurts.”

Kumiko nods. “Yes, that’s to be expected. You had a nasty fall. Do you mind if I perform a few tests?” He shakes his head and she goes through the protocol of a concussion test, asking his name, how old he was, how many fingers she was holding up, and other such routine questions.

“Ok,” she says when they’re done. “Your vitals look good, you don’t appear to have a concussion, and as long as you keep those bandages clean you should be good. I want to see you back in a couple days, ok?” He nods as she detaches his IV and monitors.

“Yeah, sure,” he agrees. 

When he exits the “hospital,” he sees that it’s a wooden cabin. A porch wraps around it, and it overlooks a large campground. There’s a river, dividing rows of large cabins from the rest of the camp. Looking the other way, Shuichi sees an outdoor dining area, with a large barbeque pit in the center, a barn, an orchard of fruit trees, what appeared to be a fighting arena with weapons displays beside it, and an amphitheater carved into the hill. An archery range faced towards the breathtaking shoreline. Kids and teenagers were all over the place, running, laughing, playing, and fighting.

“Shuichi?” a voice calls. He turns, seeing a man who couldn’t be older than thirty, and yet had white, cloud-like hair, dressed in a white tee-shirt with a red, knot-like symbol on it, black jeans, a chain at his waist, tan sneakers (not from dirt or use, they likely came that way) and a forest green hoodie that reached down to his knees, although it was ripped so it was likely longer before. He has bandages wrapped around his left hand, covering the whole thing. He raises it in a wave. “Hi. I’m Nagito. You mind coming inside for a chat?”

Shuichi follows the strange man inside, into an office. Another man sits at a desk and smiles when he came in. “Shuichi Saihara, right? Nice to meet you.” He gets up from behind the desk and holds out a hand for the preteen to shake. He has short black hair and heterochromatic eyes, one red and one a light olive green. He wears a short-sleeved button-up, black jeans, dirty white sneakers, and a muted green tie with a unique design on it. Shuichi nods, taking the hand. “I am Hajime Hinata, the one in charge here. Welcome to Hope’s Peak.”

“Hope’s Peak?” Shuichi questions. “My uncle told me to call you, we… Where is he? Is he ok?”

Hajime’s face darkens as he returns to the desk. “Have a seat, Shuichi.” The boy complies, and Nagito moves to be beside Hajime. “I’m afraid that we didn’t see your uncle there. You were the only one.”

“Wh- But that’s impossible. I can’t drive a car, and-”

“I know. I don’t doubt that he was with you in the car. I’m saying that he wasn’t there when we got there.”

“Then where is he?”

“I do not know. All I know is that you were there, and you were being chased by monokumas.”

Shuichi blinks. “What are monokumas?”

“The monsters that were chasing you,” replies Nagito. “They’re a type of monster, and they have a fondness for demigod flesh.”

“Demigod?”

“Half god, half mortal,” Hajime explains. “The result of a union between the divine and the mundane. Half-bloods. Like you.”

“Me?” Shuichi gapes. “I’m no god.”

“No, but you aren’t fully mortal either. Your uncle told me that your mother died years ago, but you never knew your father, correct?” Hajime asks. Shuichi is quiet, which he takes as confirmation. “That’s because he was a god. Like me, or Nagito.”

Shuichi blinks. He pinches himself. Nothing. He isn’t waking up. He takes a deep breath. “Ok, I don’t know what you two are on about but I want nothing to do with WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT!?” he shouts as a giant dog, easily the size of a horse, chases a group of children down the hill.

Nagito looks out and laughs. “That’s Kōun'na, my hellhound. Don’t worry about them, he’s very kind.” Shuichi just nods mutely.

“Whatever, I just want to get my uncle back, so what do you want from me?”

“Want from you?” Hajime repeats, confused. “You have the wrong idea. We want to help you, Shuichi. We can protect you here. The monsters can’t pass the barrier unless given special permission.” He sighs. “Look. Being a demigod is dangerous. If you really want to leave, we won’t stop you, but you probably won’t survive for much longer out there. However, if you stay here, you can learn to use your abilities, and to fight. And we can help you.”

Shuichi sits there for a few minutes, silent. “Can I have some time to think it over?”

“Of course!” responds Nagito. “As much time as you need. But for now, let’s get you settled in, ok?” He opens the window and calls out “Kōun'na!” The massive dog stops chasing the children and bounds up to the window. “Can you get Kaede for me? We have a new camper.” The beast turns and runs toward the stables.

“Oh, Shuichi,” Hajime says. “You might want to check your pocket.” The boy does, and finds that inside the hospital scrubs he was in (who put him in those?) is his pin. “Hold onto that. A gift from a god doesn’t come every day.”

Shuichi blinks, and is about to respond when a girl with blonde hair, lilac eyes, and music note hairpins opens the door. “Hajime, Nagito, you wanted to see me?” She turns to see him and smiles. “I guess we have a new camper? Hi, I’m Kaede Akamatsu, daughter of Ibuki. It’s really nice to meet you.” She wears a pale pink v-necked shirt, and a pair of shorts with violet and black stripes. She carries a white backpack and wears blue socks with her beige sneakers. At her side is a bronze sword.

“Uh… hi. I’m Shuichi Saihara,” he forces out. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

She beams at him. “Nice to meet you, Shuichi! Come on, I’ll show you around camp.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. Let's get started on the identifications.
> 
> First, the gods we meet in this chapter. Hajime and Nagito.
> 
> Hajime, once an ordinary human and servant to the gods, was raised to godhood artificially in an attempt to create a god of gods, Izuru. It was a success, to an extent. Izuru now exists in the same body as Hajime, but does not often come out. Hajime, having become an overpowered jack of all trades, took on the responsibility of running Hope's Peak, where he can help demigods learn how to survive.  
> Then we have Nagito. He's the God of Luck, and Hajime's husband. The two of them take care of their half-blood charges together. 
> 
> On to the demigods, we have both our beloved V3 characters, as well as an OC of mine. There will be a few here and there throughout the story as needed, but none will be particularly important. They'll just fill voids in the world.
> 
> Shuichi – (11) son of ? Much like Percy, he doesn't know his godly parent at the beginning of his tale.  
> Kaede – (12) daughter of Ibuki, Goddess of Music  
> Kumiko Nakamoto – (16) daughter of Mikan, Goddess of Health.


	5. Chapter 4 - Little Liar

Kaede leads Shuichi down the hill to the houses across the river. As she points out whose was whose, Shuichi can’t help but notice how different they all were. There is one that almost looked like an alien spaceship for crying out loud! When he points it out to Kaede, she explains that it is the cabin of Chihiro, the Deity of Innovation. It certainly is an innovative design if nothing else. There is one right next to it that looks like a gym of some sort. Inside are people wrestling, punching training dummies, and basically working on their fighting skills.

“That’s Mondo’s cabin,” Kaede says. “The God of Rage. Honestly, I mostly avoid them. Their emotions are always running high.” The two continue walking until Kaede stops at a fairly inconspicuous cabin. She goes up and knocks on the door. “Hello? I’ve got a new camper!” 

The door slams open, revealing a boy with dark purple hair and eyes, wearing a short-sleeved purple hoodie, a yellow t-shirt, and beige cargo shorts. The outfit is finished off by a black-and-white checkerboard wristband and purple high-tops. “Ooohh, a newbie!? Awesome!”

Kaede steps back, crossing her arms. “Yes, Ouma. Now, would you mind getting Minoru? I need to introduce him.”

“No need for that,” the small boy chirps. “I’m Kokichi Ouma, the ruler of Hope’s Peak!”

Shuichi blinks. He has so many questions, but before he can respond, Kaede is shoving her way into the cabin, pulling the taller boy along. “That’s Ouma. Just ignore him, he’s nothing but a pest. Apparently Twogami had Nagito and Hajime raise him when his mother died, but that just means he’s been here longer than anyone else. And he’s _such_ a troublemaker.” More blinking. Kaede walks over to one of the doors and starts knocking rhythmically. “Minoru? You in there? I got a new camper!”

“He won’t hear you,” Kokichi sing-songs from where he’s leaning against the doorframe. The shadows cut across his face sinisterly.

Kaede stops knocking to glare at him. “Why not?”

“Because, silly,” Kokichi smirks. “He’s dead.”

Kaede seems taken aback by Kokichi’s words. “Dead?”

“Yup! Like a doornail!” an impish, gleeful smile spreads across Kokichi’s face. But for the first time that day, Shuichi knows something for certain.

“You’re lying.”

The other two look at him, shock written on their faces. “How can you tell?” Kokichi teases. “You’re new here, for all you know I really did kill him.”

Shuichi shakes his head. “I assume that that door is only for men, and the other one is for women. By that logic, Kaede can’t just open the door. She needs a guy to do it for her. But, there’s no lock on the door. Meaning that any other guy could come in and out at any time.” As if to prove his point, a teenager walks out in his swimsuit. “Like that. And he would have said if there was a body in there, right? And even if you hid it, there’s no flies. Blowflies are some of the first creatures to come when there’s a fresh corpse, but I don’t see any. Ergo, there is no corpse here.”

Kokichi cocks his head. “But what if I killed him and hid the body somewhere?”

“When?” returns Shuichi. “From what I see, this camp seems to embrace communal living. When and where would you have the time or privacy to kill him and hide the body?”

Kokichi stalks up to the taller boy, staring into his eyes intensely. “You have golden eyes, so you can’t be a child of Kyoko… maybe Nagito? No, his kids don’t usually end up here, they’re too lucky…” he trails off, before grinning. “You’re right! Minoru is just fine! He’s probably down near the stables right now. Or…” he smirks, “is that a lie too?”

Shuichi shakes his head. “No, I don’t think so. There would be no entertainment to be gained from it.” He turns to Kaede. “Minoru should be at the stables.”

Kokichi goes back to smiling. “Wow, newbie, you’re really smart! What’s your name!?” he asks excitedly.

The taller boy smiles shyly, looking away. “My name is Shuichi Saihara. It’s good to meet you, Kokichi.”

“Shuichi, Shuichi… Shu… Shumai! Okay, Shumai, I’m Kokichi! Let’s be friends, okay?”

Kaede sighs, rolling her eyes and pulling Shuichi out of the cabin. When he looks back, he sees the purple-haired boy waving happily from in front.

It doesn’t take long for Minoru to help Shuichi get set up in a bunk. Well, to call it a “bunk” would be a stretch.

“Only those of us who’ve been here the longest get actual beds,” the dark-skinned man explains. “We take in all the kids who haven’t been claimed yet, and some never do. So, we use sleeping bags.”

Shuichi looks over to one of the beds, where Kokichi was swinging his feet back and forth. A sloppily-hung curtain blocks the rest of the liar’s domain from his view, but he can’t help but feel as if whatever he saw would only raise more questions. He grabs the bag Nagito had come over to give him a few minutes ago, and gets out a black hoodie and a pair of black jeans.

“Wow, you really are an emo, aren’t you Shumai?” chirps Kokichi. 

“W-what do you mean?” Shuichi asks. “And please don’t call me Shumai.”

Kokichi pouts, eyes welling up with tears. “But why? A-aren’t we friends?” His bottom lip starts to shake before he cries out “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! SHUICHI DOESN’T LIKE MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!”

Shuichi, not knowing what else to do, starts shaking his head and trying to placate the crying eleven-year-old. “N-no that’s not it, I just don’t know you that well yet is all, and aren’t nicknames something you only give to close friends?”

“B-b-but I want Shuichi to like me!!!”

“I-I do like you! You seem like an interesting person! Just please stop crying!”

Kokichi sniffles. “So… I can call you Shumai?”

Shuichi rubs at the back of his neck. “I mean… I can’t really stop you…”

“And we’re friends?”

“I-if you want to be…”

Kokichi leaps off his bunk to stand over the other boy. “So you’ll help me out in Capture the Flag on Friday?”

“Capture the Flag?”

“Yeah! Every week the camp splits into teams and plays Capture the Flag! So? Will you help me out?”

“I… Okay?”

A blinding smile split the little liar’s face. “Yay! Now,” he holds out one hand, pinky raised. “Pinky Promise.”

Shuichi hesitantly extends his own pinkie, wrapping it around Kokichi’s. “Right. Pinky Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally meet our Fuck Shit Up character!!! Yay!!!
> 
> Kokichi – (11) son of Twogami, or is that a lie?  
> Minoru Machida (17) son of Twogami, God of Lies and Hospitality, and head of the cabin


	6. Chapter 5 - Campfire Song

“Come on!” Kokichi crows, pulling Shuichi toward the dining area. “Grab some ambrosia, and let the nectar flow!” There is a girl playing an acoustic guitar at one of the tables, and the barbeque pit is lit. Campers, one by one, stand up and toss a bit of food in.

“Why is everyone scraping part of their plate into the fire?” questions Shuichi. “Is the food here really that bad?”

“Offering to the gods,” the liar explains. “Apparently, it's not enough that their omnipotent and all-powerful, they need to feel appreciated. To the gods!” he calls, lifting his cup and receiving a half-hearted echo in response. He skips over to the guitar player and sings _“Oh, things couldn't be worse/When your parents run the universe.”_

That garners far more of a reaction, as others join in with _“Oh, things couldn't be worse/When your folks run the universe.”_

One, a tall boy with spiked violet hair wearing a blazer on one shoulder stands up and sings _“My mom’s Hiyoko/She flies through the night/She’ll guide you through darkness with her soft white light/I'd try to follow, but I can’t catch my flight/Oh no,”_ the crowd around him murmurs in agreement. _“When your mom's a god, life can be tough/I met the girl once, and once was enough.”_ That earns him some laughs. He gestures to a girl with short grey hair and a grey tracksuit. “Kirumi?”

She smiles and nods as she stands up. _“My father is Taka/He's smart and he's strict/He's sworn off gluten and he's sworn off dick,”_ that gets a few gasps, but no one stops her. _“But if he came to camp, he’d get a big kick/Oh no,”_ she’s echoed by Kokichi and a small redhead with a large pointed hat. _“Oh, and my stepdad, he hates me, and my mom works all day/So I left the household and I ran away.”_ Having finished, she sits back down.

“Wait, is that true?” asks Shuichi.

Kokichi, ignoring him, calls out “Everybody!”

The whole camp joins in with _“Oh, things couldn't be worse/When your parents run the universe/Oh, things couldn't be worse/When your folks run the universe”_

“Alright, who’s next?” asks Kokichi.

“Oh!” the redhead from earlier calls. “Okay, let me see...” she takes a deep breath. _“My mom is Sonia/Goddess of magic/She gets excited when things get all tragic/But I wish that just once, she’d be less dramatic/Oh no,”_

“Oh no,” echo the campers.

“Right?” she asks. _“For their eleventh birthday, my friends got a phone/I got a gosh darn necromancy tome!”_

A long-haired glasses-wearing girl jumps up. “Ooh, ooh! My turn!” she clears her throat. _“I'm a child of Hagakure/God of prophecy/I spit out these rhymes that must be recompiled/He's not really my dad, but I'm sort of his child.../Oh no...”_ the echo is a bit weaker for her. _“He went for a hike to overcome his fears/And no one has seen him for thousands of years!”_ The camp picks it back up with

_“Oh, things couldn't be worse/When your parents run the universe/Oh, things couldn't be worse/When your folks run the universe.”_

The spiky-haired boy from earlier calls out “Maki! Who's your mom?” A brown-haired girl in a red and black hoodie looks up.

“Oh. Well…” she seems to think for a moment, before responding in the most monotone voice possible, _“My mother is Sho/Remember the stories/She kills her lovers.”_

The music stops as everyone sucks in a breath.

“Maki wins,” determines Kokichi. No one argues with him. “How about you, Miu?”

A blonde wearing a much-too-small pink tank top stands on her table. _“The god of the forge/My dad’s Kazuichi/He tries to be cool but mainly he's creepy/I'll bring home a boy, and he's there all weepy.”_

“Oh no!” cry out the campers.

“It's so embarrassing, guys!” She shakes her head. _“I tried to seek help from even the fates/He makes me lose my mascara and all of my dates.”_

Kokichi laughs, turning to Shuichi. “Alright Shumai, it's your turn.”

The boy shakes his head, claiming that “If I tried to sing, it'll probably cause an avalanche.”

“Oh, we're all friends here,” dismisses Kokichi. “Come on, give it a shot!”

Shuichi takes a deep breath. _“My uncle was named Eiji/He loved scary movies/And books of detectives/And-”_

“Nyeh, he’s doing it wrong,” says the little redhead.

“Yeah, who’s your godly parent?” asks the girl in the pink tank top.

“Oh...” Shuichi rubs his neck. “I don't know.”

“It's alright,” calls out the spiky-haired boy. “A lot of half-bloods never know their godly parent. Just give it a try.”

Shuichi gathers his courage and sings _“So my dad is some god/That's great I guess.../Did he not want me? Or not want the stress?/Too bad he's the worst, and my life is a mess./Oh no,”_ a cheer goes up around him. _“I hope he shows even a trace/Cause I got some choice words to throw in his face!”_

The camp all joins together to sing _“Oh, things couldn't be worse/When your parents run the universe/Oh, things couldn't be worse,”_

Kokichi jumps back on top of the table. _“But I don't care where our parents may be,”_ and stares directly into Shuichi’s eyes. _“As long as you are here with me.”_

“ _We don't care where our parents may be/As long as you are here with me/As long as you are here with me!”_

Throughout the song, Shuichi noticed that although everyone else did, Kokichi didn’t toss any food into the flames. Not once.

And neither did a small group of children sitting far away from the rest of the camp. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this chapter is just an excuse for me to write a Danganronpa Campfire Song songfic.
> 
> I'm a theater kid, sue me.
> 
> Kaito – (14) son of Hiyoko, Goddess of the Moon and Tradition  
> Kirumi – (17) daughter of Taka, God of Order  
> Himiko – (11) daughter of Sonia, Goddess of Magic  
> Maki – (12) daughter of Sho, Goddess of Death  
> Miu – (14) daughter of Kazuichi, God of the Forge.


	7. Chapter 6 - Capture the Flag

Over the next week, Shuichi settles into a routine. As he cycles through the camp activities, trying to find the one he excels at, all that is proven is that animals seem to like him. He wasn’t that great with traditional weapons, though after he showed a bit of promise with the sword, Hinata had agreed to help him out a bit. His training grabs the attention of a familiar spiky-haired boy, the one from the campfire.

“Hey,” he greets, smiling broadly, his sword resting on his shoulder. “Name’s Kaito Momota, son of Hiyoko.”

Shuichi does a quick rundown of the list of gods he’s memorized. “The goddess of the moon, right?”

“Yup. Well, that and tradition, but I don’t really care about that side of her. Leave it for my siblings, right?”

“Right…” Shuichi blinks at the taller boy. “Um… I’m Shuichi Saihara. Unclaimed.”

“Yeah, your dad’s the god, right? Too bad, you’dve been a cool bro. Ah well, we can be friends anyway. So,” he swings his sword, stabbing the ground between them. “How’s about a spar?”

“Uhh…” Shuichi looks to Hinata for advice, and is given a thumbs-up. Damn it. “Okay?”

“Sweet! I’ve been trying to perfect this new disarming maneuver, maybe you can help.” He pulls his sword out, and gets into a ready stance. “You ready?”

At Shuichi’s nod, he attacks. Shuichi manages to parry well, until Kaito decides it’s time to test that new move. Using the flat of his blade, he twists, putting all his strength in and forcing Shuichi to drop his sword.

“Yes!” he cheers, “I got it! Whoo!”

Shuichi nods, smiling. “That was great. Can you teach it to me?” Kaito grins, and begins walking him through the maneuver. Shuichi isn’t quite strong enough to pull it off though.

“That’s okay, Sidekick! You just need more training!” Shuichi looks up, shocked.

“Sidekick?”

“Yeah! I’ve decided, you’re gonna be my sidekick from now on.”

“Why?”

He shrugs. “Why not? I mean, doesn’t everyone need a friend?” He sighs. “Glad we’re on the same team for Friday, huh?”

Shuichi nods. “Can you tell me a bit more about what’s happening on Friday?”

Kaito laughs. “How about you wait and see, huh?”

Shuichi sighs, but agrees. It’ll be a surprise right?

For the rest of the week, the training continues. Shuichi finds he has something of an affinity for ranged weapons, and Nagito takes him under his wing. He isn’t great with a bow, but it’s better than a sword.

It would be easier if Kōun'na would stop getting in the way though.

Nagito says it’s good practice, that in a real battle, not only will his target not stand still, but neither will his allies. That they will likely run into his line of fire and that it is his responsibility to not hit them.

“Your arrow will go where you tell it to. You are the only one who has control over it. Just as a swordsman must be aware of where his blade is, so must you with your arrow,” he explains, before firing a perfect bullseye. “Of course, a little Good Luck never hurt anyone.”

It makes sense in theory, but is much harder to put into practice. “Are there any other ranged weapons? Like a gun or a crossbow?”

Nagito thinks for a moment. “There are some magic weapons that take the form of a gun, but I don’t think we have any here. And we don’t have any crossbows unfortunately… I’m sure you could ask one of Kazuichi’s kids to fix something up for you though. Or maybe Cabin 8?” He shrugs.

The smithy is where the children of Kazuichi, God of the Forge spend most of their time. It is loud, and Shuichi has been hearing metalwork in the middle of the night from the other side of camp. The kids from Cabin 8 though, are a bit reclusive. Much like their parent, Chihiro, Deity of Innovation, they prefer to stick to their ideas and projects.

Shuichi decides that he’ll ask someone at the smithy after Capture the flag that night. In the meantime, he goes to gather his arrows and starts again.

That night, after dinner, there is a lot more excitement than usual. Cabin 13, the children of Celeste, Goddess of Strategy, parade out their flag, a blood red banner with a castle painted on it, as do Cabin 15, Children of Mukuro, Goddess of War. Their banner is black, painted with a white wolf’s head inside an eight-pointed star. The camp is split, with Cabins 1-5, 8, and 10 on Celeste’s team, while the other cabins are on Mukuro’s. Cabin 12 is split between the two, ensuring an even number of warriors on either side.

Nagito hits a gong. “Heroes!” Hajime announces from beside him. “You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest,” he gestures to the forest away from the cabins, “is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. Nagito and I will serve as referees and battlefield medics. Arm yourselves!” As he spreads his hands, the tables fill with equipment and armor. After suiting up, Shuichi follows the rest of his cabin, seeing Kokichi all but skip over to where Cabin 13’s leader is calling everyone for a briefing. 

“They have the advantage of numbers,” they explain, “But we’ve got superior skills and magic on our side. The plan is, Sonia’s kids will cast invisibility spells on Fuyuhiko and Peko’s. Leon will attack the flag, giving the invisible people an opening to get it from behind. This will be the offensive team. For defense, we will have Chihiro’s cabin lay down traps and Taka’s will be on guard duty. Remember, only two of you can be stationed at the flag, but there are no rules about having others nearby. Cabins 2 and 13 will be squad leaders. You are to split yourself among the rest of the groups and command them in real time. Cabin 4 is on prisoner watch, and everyone else will spread themselves wherever they’re needed.” They look up at their team. “Understood?” Everyone nods or makes noises of assent. “Good. Go!”

Kokichi immediately grabs Shuichi, forcing him to follow as the short boy darts into the forest. Once they’re pretty far in, Kokichi turns around. “So, you ready Shumai?”

Shuichi nods. “Yeah, although I’m not sure why you asked me to help you if we’re on the same team anyways.”

Kokichi laughs. “I just wanted to make sure you’d have my back! But Shumai, you’re missing something!” Before Shuichi can respond, Kokichi holds up a pin. “You can’t go into battle without this!” he quickly pins it to Shuichi’s shirt before adjusting his armor.

Shuichi blinks, looking down at the pin. “How did you get this? I thought it was in my bag.”

“You shouldn’t leave your stuff out in the open you know, Shumai. You never know who might decide to look through it.”

Shuichi stares at him, parsing his words. “Why did you go through my bag?”

“I wanted to see what you brought to camp,” Kokichi chirps back. “You brought way too many books, you know. When would you even have time for those?”

Shuichi looks away, embarrassed. “I-I didn’t know I was going to a camp.”

Kokichi hums, and deems Shuichi’s straps acceptable. “Oh well. You’re here now. Isn’t that what matters?” He looks up, beaming. “We’re in this together, okay?” Shuichi, stunned, just nods in agreement.

“So umm… what’s the plan?”

“Weren’t you listening, Shumai? We’re to go wherever we’re needed. And I decide…” He points behind the taller boy, “we’re needed there! At the border!” He skips away, leaving Shuichi no choice but to follow.

Kokichi positions him on a small ledge, high enough that he could see their small area, but covered enough that he himself wouldn’t be seen. He explains that Shuichi just needs to “take care of the weak links” and that he’ll handle the rest.

So, Shuichi stays up on a small cliff, picking off a few of the people who cross the creek while Kokichi takes care of the rest. There’s barely a moment where he’s not moving, like a tiny tornado. Sometimes he’ll appear at Shuichi’s side with arrows he’d picked up, and the next second be kicking an enemy in the face.

It’s somewhat mesmerizing.

Unfortunately, while he’s watching that, someone was able to sneak around and attack Shuichi from behind. As he tumbles off the ledge, at least a dozen more fighters come into view.

“Dammit!” cries Kokichi, too preoccupied with the fighters to help his friend. The attacker lands above Shuichi, their sword at his neck.

Shuichi can’t believe this is happening to him. There’s a teenager standing above him, sword to his neck. “Surrender,” they say.

The boy stares up at the attacker, terrified. “H-HELP!” he cries. “HELP ME!”

Out of nowhere, a shadowy, smoky creature knocks his assailant off of him. Shuichi sits up, and sees that the creature has pinned down the teenager. Looking over to Kokichi, he’s getting overwhelmed. Shuichi reaches for his bow and arrows, but they were knocked out of his hands when he was attacked. Instead, his hand closes around a gun, and on instinct, he shoots. A few of them break off from the group, clutching their arms, and Kokichi manages to take down the others.

“Whooo,” he pants. “That was intense.” He looks at Shuichi and smiles. “Thanks for the save, although I didn’t really need it.” He stands up happily. “I was about to unleash my secret power. Of course, that would kill them, so it’s a good thing you helped out.”

He comes over to help Shuichi up. “The game should be ending soon. See?” He points into the forest, where other teammates were running towards them triumphantly. He turns back to the enemy who was knocked down. “Ooh, and I think you got claimed too! Look!” He points to the creature, which is beginning to fade away. “That’s a Dark Deva of Destruction. Servants of Gundham.” He beams at the taller boy. “Congratulations, Shumai! You’ve been claimed!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally know who Shuichi's parent is! Honestly, figuring out how I was going to do the claiming scene was really hard. It took me forever to get it to the point where it was acceptable.
> 
> Shuichi is the son of Gundham, the god of the Underworld. 
> 
> Also, the cabins are as follows  
> 1 - Byakuya  
> 2 - Kyoko  
> 3 - Leon  
> 4 - Toko/Sho  
> 5 - Hagakure  
> 6 - Aoi  
> 7 - Sakura  
> 8 - Chihiro  
> 9 - Mondo  
> 10 - Taka  
> 11 - Sayaka  
> 12 - ???????  
> 13 - Celeste  
> 14 - Hifumi  
> 15 - Mukuro  
> 16 - Junko  
> 17 - Nagito  
> 18 - Twogami  
> 19 - Kazuichi  
> 20 - Sonia  
> 21 - Gundham  
> 22 - Ibuki  
> 23 - Mikan  
> 24 - Fuyuhiko  
> 25 - Peko  
> 26 - Akane  
> 27 - Nekomaru  
> 28 - Chiaki  
> 29 - Mahiru  
> 30 - Hiyoko  
> 31 - Teruteru  
> 32 - Hajime/Izuru


	8. Chapter 7 - The Oracle Speaks

The next morning, Shuichi is moved to cabin 17.

It’s probably one of the least welcoming cabins, with its mausoleum-like exterior and dark, inhospitable interior. Unlike the Unclamed cabin, the home of the children of the Underworld has its bunks built into the walls, where in an ordinary crypt, coffins and caskets would reside. Strangely enough though, the imposing air of the place does not deter the animals, something Shuichi is mildly pleased by.

“Our father created the animals of the world,” explains the cabin leader, Ryoma. At only 15, he’s one of the youngest counselors, but with there only being four people in the cabin including Shuichi, it’s not a huge surprise. “As such, they watch over us. And sometimes, if we ask for it, our father’s servants come to our aid.” He smiles, petting the cat that had jumped onto his bed. “The four Dark Devas of Destruction. They obey his every command, and will occasionally obey ours if our need is great enough.”

“If our need is great enough…” Shuichi whispers. “They didn’t help when my uncle was in trouble though.” Ryoma nodded, sadly.

“We tend to lose those important to us. Some have said that its our connection to the underworld that leads those we care about to die quickly. It’s our curse.”

They sit there in silence, thinking about those they’ve lost.

Over the next few days, Shuichi finally adjusts to life at camp. Between Kokichi’s insistence on spending time with him, Kaede taking him on hikes, and Kaito’s training, he quickly builds up his strength and stamina. Kokichi always makes sure he’s wearing his pin, though he still doesn’t understand why. He never explains. 

“It’s just important that you do, ok?” he says in one of his rare moments of honesty. “And don’t question it. Shuichi nods, agreeing if only to pacify the shorter boy.

Kaede’s hikes are somewhat peaceful, if not long and hot. They talk about their respective godly parents, and Kaede explains that it isn’t uncommon for demigods to feel abandoned or unloved. She says that even if their parents don’t care, at least they have each other, right?

Kaito’s training mainly consists of late-night workouts. He pushes the preteen through push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and so many drills and exercises that by the time Shuichi gets back to his bunk he unvaryingly passes out immediately upon hitting the mattress.

On Wednesday though, everything changes.

It starts during breakfast, when, after speaking to one of the councilors of Cabin, Nagito asks if anyone has seen a little girl with green hair, carrying a large, leather-bound book.

A glasses-wearing, blue-haired girl collapses. A chair is immediately brought and she is sat in it, her head bowed. Suddenly, it jerks up, her eyes wide and glassy. She opens her mouth and hisses,

_“Child of Sky, child of Death,_

_Child of Lies, child of Neath_

_Four shall go, but three return_

_A daughter’s eyes forever burn_

_A journey to the pits of hell_

_Where magic thrives and monsters dwell_

_A mother and son will reunite_

_And failure comes on the final night.”_

Immediately after she finishes speaking, she bows her head again. A few minutes later she seems to come back to her senses, but everyone is dead silent.

“Oh dear,” she says. “It was a prophecy, wasn’t it?”

At that, the silence is lifted, and replaced with an air of fear and apprehension. When Shuichi asks what is happening, Ryoma says only that “a quest has been issued.”

“Everyone,” Hajime calls. “Go about your day as usual. Nagito and I will discuss what is to be done.” The two head up to the cabin on the hill, speaking in hushed tones.

“Well,” chirps Kokichi, “it sounds like things are about to get a lot more fun around here!”

That night, there’s a lot less chatter than usual, and what little there is seems centered around what the girl (the Oracle, Tsumugi, as she introduces herself to Shuichi) said. People are debating who will be chosen, and what the prophecy means. Finally, Hajime and Nagito exit the cabin, and call for everyone’s attention.

“Campers,” Hajime begins, “Nagito and I have come to a decision.” Everyone goes silent. The heavy air from breakfast returns tenfold. “As you all heard, Tsumugi, our Oracle, has given a prophecy. We have determined that it is tied to the missing girl from this morning, and have decided on who will be going on the quest.”

Nagito steps forward, a piece of paper in his hand. “If your name is called, please step forward. Please remember that this is not mandatory, and you may request for a replacement.” He clears his throat. “Kaito Momota, son of Hyoko, Goddess of the Moon and Tradition.” Kaito steps forward, an uncommonly solemn look on his face. “Maki Harukawa, daughter of Sho, Goddess of Death.” A girl with long brown pigtails tied low and wearing a red and black hoodie stands from her seat at the table, and takes her place next to Kaito. “Kokichi Ouma, son of Twogami, God of Lies and Hospitality.” The purple-haired liar skips forward, looking decidedly unbothered. “Shuichi Saihara, son of Gundham, God of the Underworld.”

All eyes are on Shuichi. He gulps, and looks around. Kaito gives him a subtle ‘come on’ gesture. As he hesitantly steps forward, his heart pounds, feeling the weight of those eyes watching him. What he wouldn’t do to have his hat right now. Then he could at least pretend they weren’t staring at him.

“You four are who we have chosen as the team to take on this quest,” says Hajime, a grim look on his face. “However, heed the oracle’s words. We believe one of you may well die on this journey. Please, think long and hard about whether or not you are willing to accept this risk. We will await your answers by tomorrow.”

And with that, dinner is over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we're starting to get into the story proper now!
> 
> And, we're introduced to Tsumugi! Given her unique role in V3, I didn't want her to be an ordinary demigod, so instead, I made her the Oracle! She lives in an attic loft in cabin 5, Hagakure's cabin. Hagakure is the god of Fear, and holds dominion over Prophecy.
> 
> Also, if Shuichi got a hellhound (an idea I'm currently toying with) what do you think he would name it? Answer in the comments!


End file.
